Analysis of the expression of progesterone and oestrogen receptors and their effect on Mucin-1 at both uterine horns of pregnant camel

Immmunohistochemical technique was applied to analyse the expression of progesterone and oestrogen receptors (PR, ER1) and Mucin-1 (Muc1) at both uterine horns of pregnant camel (Camelus dromedarius). The progesterone receptor (PR) could not be detected at the luminal (LE) and glandular (GE) epithelia. However, gradual increasing of staining intensity for PR was noticed, with the strongest degree detected at the deepest layers of stroma of the right horn; while the left horn showed weak level of PR staining at LE, GE and stroma. Our data showed that moderate oestrogen receptor (ER1) staining was detected throughout the LE, GE and stroma of the right uterine horn in comparison to weak staining at the left horn of pregnant camel. The trophectoderm (TR) showed moderate immunoreactivity to ER1 but no signals for PR or Muc1 were recorded. In this study the expression of Muc1 was spatially correlated with expressions PR on the endometrial stroma which might indicate direct effect of the embryo on the expression of PR and Muc1.